Lost: What to do when you realize you are off route

Nothing compares to the jilting moment when you realize you may be lost, when you realize the sun will be setting soon and you only have your tiny running pack ...

Illustration by Daniel Yagmin

You glide effortlessly down the trail. Everything is flowing. Hills come and go, the trees are a blur and your legs feel strong. It is one of those special days … then, suddenly, you realize that you have blown by the trail junction where you were supposed to turn. How many miles back was it? Where are you?

Nothing compares to the jilting moment when you realize you may be lost, when you realize the sun will be setting soon and you only have your tiny running pack with a wind jacket, a couple of gels and a few ounces left in your hydration bladder. Things spiral and you begin to panic. You curse yourself for not carrying your cell phone, GPS, headlamp, map or telling someone where you were headed. What should you do?